Direct electric action for pipe organs



Nov 8, 1932 s. R. WARREN DIRECT ELECTRIC ACTION FOR PIPE ORGANS Filed D96. 24, 1951 1:110:10!) "on I u all s A 'Hd'l l l'l (Ittomeg Patented Nov. 8, 1932 UNITED STAT SAMUEL RUSSELL WARREN, OF BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO ES'IEY ORGAN COMPANY, OF BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT; A CORPORATION OF VERMONT DIRECT ELECTRIC ACTION FOR PIPE ORGANS Application filed'December 24, 1931.

In order to economize space in the installation of a pipe organ it-is desirable to have the or an pipes nested together; as closely as.

practicable and this necessitates that the valve mechanism whichcontrols the admission of wind tothe pipes should be of such a character as to permit the close association of the pipes and the pipe ducts leading thereto. The object of the present invention is to produce a direct electric action for organ pipes which occupies small lateral space.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a wind chamber illustrating two pipe ducts and two valve mechanisms associated therewith. Fig. 2 is a side view of the left hand valve mechanism. Fig. 8 is a side view of the right hand valve mechanism. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the armature of the Fig. 2construction.

As shown in the drawing-A is awind chamber which contains air under pressure when the pipes associated therewith are to be sounded. The top board-'B of the wind chamber isshown with two pipe ducts C and I) through which airis supplied to the re spective pipes.

Two specifically difi'erent valve mechanisms are illustrated, the one at the right being particularly useful in connection with the smallest pipes requiring the least volume of. wind while'the one. at the left is specially adaped for use with a range of larger pipes.

The valve mechanism at the right of Fig. 1 which is, also shown in Fig. 3 comprises a tiibularv casing E which is screw threaded at its upper end so asto screw into a threaded socket "1 in the top board in line with the pipe duct 1). The casing has a port 2 at its side opening into the wind chamber. When this port is uncovered air passes through it into the interior of the valve casing and thence through the pipe duct to the pipe. This port is controlled by a horizontally moving padded pallet F which is mounted directly upon the upperend of an armature G of an electromagnet H. The magnet is supported upon a bracket 3 connected with the valve cas- Serial No. 583,092.

ing. The magnet is of the horse shoe or bi.-

polar variety having its coils beneath the bracket and two elongated bare poles extending through and above the bracket. The magnet extends substantially verticall and parallel with the vertical axis of the valve casing and isclose thereto. In this way an adaequate magnet is provided with minimum lateral dimensions. The armature G extends vertically parallel with and alongside the magnet poles and the upper end of the armature has a lateral extension 4 just above the upper'ends of the magnet poles. Thearmature rests at its lower end upon the bottom of the bracket and has a narrow foot5 extending through a hole 6 in the bottom of the bracket. Between the foot of the armature and the underside of the valve casing is a light spring I which acts to maintain the pallet seated against the margins of the casing port. This construction of the armature permits afree rocking or pivotal movement at its lower end so that it can move horizon tally at its upper end to and fro between the port and the poles of the magnet.

In case the magnet is energized through the playing of a key, the armature is attracted and moved toward the magnet poles carrying with it the pallet, thus opening the port and permitting the flow of air into the casing and to the pipe. The movement of the armature toward. the poles is limited by a cushioning pad 7 on the armaturecoming in noiseless contact with the poles. The extent of this movement is properly equal to one-fourth of the diameter of the port (when circular) so as to utilize the entire wind capacity thereof. This pallet opening movement of the armature puts the springs I under increased ten sion so that when the current ceases to flow through the magnet coils the spring tends to return the armature to its portclosing vosition. It is desirable to make the spring.

just strong enough to maintain the pallet closed so that minimum force is required to start the opening movement of the valve. If the spring is light enough for these purposes it may not be strong enough or act quickly enough to overcome the residual magnetism remaining in the poles or armature when the contact at the key is'broken and the magnet is deenergized. Accordingly, an auxiliary spring J is employed. This is a quick aet'ng' fiat spring secured to the bracket 3 and normally resting and bearing agamst the magnet poles and separated from the armature 'when the. pallet is closed. This spring is made or" resilient non-magnetic material such as hard brass. 1 I a i As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the armature has a pin 8 extending between the poles of the magnet and in line with the upper end of the auxiliary spring but with agap between it and the spring equal to about one-haltthe opening movement of the pallet. Accord ingly, when the magnet is energized the init al movement of the armature simply tensions the light spring I and thereafter the pin 8 encounters and presses upon the auxiliary spring increasing its tensionduring the final opening movement of the armature.

,which are fixed upon a This quick acting auxiliary spring has sutli cient force to snap the armature toward the port theinstantthe key is released and the current is cut oil. With this organization the magnet has minimum work to do when the armature is most remote from the poles.

The valve mechanism shown in 2 and at the left of Fig. 1 is employed with larger pipes requiring a greater volume of air. In this instance,the valve casing K is rectangular in cross section and is fastened to the under surface of the top" board B by screws.

9. This'valve casing has two wind way ports in its opposite side walls controlled by the horizontally movable pneumatically balanced double valve which constitutes the subject 'matter of a separate application filed concurrently herewith Serial. Number 583,093. It suffices here to say, that this pneumatically balanced valve has two pallets L and M controlling the respective ports N mounted to slide in narrow bridges 10 and 11 extending across the respective ports. One of the pallets is inside and the other outsidethe valve casing so thatthe air pressure within the wind chamber tends to open one pallet and at the same time tends to close the oppositepallet with the same force The light spring O between pallet Land the bridge 10 maintains the two pallets closed and seated agalnst the margins of their re spective ports. This pneumatically bal- L anced valve only needs a small opening movement in order to supply the requisite volume of wind to the connected pipe as pointed out in the companion application.

In the construction here illustrated this balanced valve is controlled by an electromagnet P, and armature Q which in their generic aspects are like the magnet and armature of the valve mechanism shown at the right of 131g. 1. That is to say, the electromagnet is a bi-polar magnet. The coils of common valve stem the magnet are below the bracket 12 and the elongated poles extend above the bracket. The entire magnet is substantially vertlcal and parallel with the vertical axis of the valve casing. The vertically disposed armature is alongside the magnet poles, and substanv tially parallel therewith. It is shown in detail in Fig. 4;. At its lower end the armature has projecting feet 13, which straddle the bottomplate of the bracket as shown in Fig. 2 so that the armature has a free rocking or pivotal movement at its bottom where it rests on the bracket. At its upper end the armature has lateral extensions 14 just above the upper ends of the magnet poles as shown in Fig. 1. Beneath these lateral extensions the armature has alelt pad 15 which limits the movement of the armature toward the poles and prevents noise. The upper end of the armature is. extended to form an eye 16 through which the valve stem end extends.

This end'o'fthe valve stem is screw threaded to receive buttons 17 at opposite sides of the armature eye thus adjustably connecting the valve stem and armature. The adjustment should be such that the range of movement of the armature is substantially equal te oneeighth the diameter of the ports in the casing in order that the requisite volume be supplied to the pipe.

When the magnet is energized through the depression of an organ key, thearmature is attracted toward the poles and the. double valve is opened putting the spring 0 under additional tension. When the key is released of air may and the electric circuit broken, the spring restores the pallets to their normal position closing the ports.

lower portion of the armature and a projection 18" of the bracket forthe purpose of maintaining this end of the armature in position.

With this there isan economy of lateral space occupied comparable with that of the valve mechanism attheright. ,7 i

Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates an organ key 19, a switch 20, a source of electric supply 21 and circuit connections to the magnets. Asillustrated both magnets arein parallel relation with the switch and source of htspringR is interposed between the construction at the left of Fig. 1

VLULL r 1 elong ed bare poles above the bracket, said magnet- 1 its poles extending substantially vertically nd parallel with the vertical axis of the casing an armature mounted on said bracket and extending alongside the magnet poles in approximate parallelism therewith, and having its upper part extending over the ends of the poles; a pallet tor closing the casport operatively connected to move with said armature; a light spring acting on said armature maintain the pallet closed; and an auxiliary quick acting spring normally resting the magnet poles and separated rrom armature but pre sed upon by said 9 mature it is completely moved by the ma not whereby it acts to move the armature no instant the magnet is deenergized.

2. A direct electric action for pipe organs having, in combination, a wind chamber with a pipe duct in top board; a valve casing located within the wind chamber in communication wi h a pipe duct and having an air port opet. into the wind chamber; a electromagnet,

bracket on the casing; an mounted on said bracket and having elongated poles said magnet with its poles extending sub mtially vertically and parallel with the vertical axis of tile casing; an armature mounted on said bracket and extending alongside the mag poles in approximate parallehrnn therewith, and extending over the ends of the poles at its upper part; a pallet for closing the ca lg ort operatively connected to move with said armature; a light spring acting on s l armature to maintain the pallet closed; auxiliary quick acting spring norm y restin against the magnet poles and separated from said armature but pressed upon by said armature as it is completely moved by he magnet where by it acts to move the armature the instant the magnet is deenerized.

3. A valve casing having an air port in combination with an electromagnet mounted on said casin nd having an elongated pole, said magnet with its pole extending substantialy vertically and parallel with the vertical axis of the ca ing; a vertically extending armature extending alongside the magnet pole in approximate parallelism therewith, and having its upper part extending over the end of the pole; a horizontally movi pallet for closing the casing port operatively connected to move with the upper end of said armature; and a spring acting on said armature to maintain the pallet closed.

4. A valve casing having an air port, in combination with an electromagnet; an armature; a pallet for closing the casing port operatively connected to move with said armature; a light spring acting on said armature to maintain the pallet closed; and an auxiliary quick acting spring normally separated from said armature and pallet but tensioned by said armature when it is complete ly moved by the magnet whereby it acts to move the armature the instant the magnet is deenergized.

5. A valve casing having an air port in combination with an electromagnet mounted on said asing, said magnet extending substantially vertically and parallel with the vertical axis of the casing; a vertically disposed armature extending alongside the magnet poles; horizontally movable pallet for closing the port operatively connected to move with the upper end of said ar nature; and a spring acting on said armature to maintain the pallet closed.

6. An electromagnet in combination with an armature; a light spring acting on said armature to maintain it away from the mag net, and an auxiliary quick acting spring normally separated from said armature but pressed upon by said armature as it is completely moved by the magnet whereby it acts to move the armature the instant the magnet deenergized.

7. A direct electric action for pipe organs having, in combination, a wind chamber with a pipe duct in its top board; a valve casing located within the wind chamber in communication with a pipe duct and having an air port at its side opening into the Wind chamber; an electric magnet mounted on said casing; a vertically disposed armature mounted on said casing; a horizontally movable pallet for closing the casing port operatively connected to move with said armature; and a spring acting on said armature to maintain the pallet closed. 

